US 4,286,688 AGranted

Loudspeaker apparatus

OwnerArthur L. O'Malleyinventor

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Abstract

A loudspeaker apparatus comprises an enclosure having a loudspeaker mounted on a surface thereof, means within the enclosure and cooperating with other surfaces thereof for initially directing sound energy emanating from the back of the loudspeaker through a first sound wave compression zone in a first direction and then substantially equally into each of two second sound wave compression zones in respective second directions opposed to the first direction, and means in each of the second compression zones for propagating the sound energy received thereby out of the enclosure, the propagating means either comprising a passive radiator mounted on a corresponding enclosure surface partially defining each of the second compression zones or comprising ports which face in a direction parallel to that in which the loudspeaker faces and which place each second compression zone into open communication with the outside of the enclosure.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Loudspeaker apparatus comprising:

(A) an enclosure having parallel top and bottom panels, between which are perpendicularly disposed parallel front and back panels, as well as an opposed pair of identical major side panels which extend rearwardly from the front of said enclosure at equal first obtuse interior angles with respect to said front panel and an opposed pair of identical minor side panels which extend forwardly from the rear of said enclosure at equal second obtuse interior angles with respect to said back panel, said minor side panels respectively having edge-to-edge junctions with said major side panels;
(B) an electrically drivable loudspeaker within said enclosure and centrally mounted on said front panel to project forwardly traveling sound energy directly out of said enclosure when said loudspeaker is electrically driven;
(C) a pair of passive radiators within said enclosure, each being centrally mounted on a respective one of said major side panels to project sound energy directly out of said enclosure when driven by received sound energy;
and
(D) means within said enclosure for dividing backwardly traveling sound energy from said loudspeaker into two substantially equal portions and channeling each portion in uniform driving relation to a respective one of said passive radiators, said dividing and channeling means including:
(a) an elongated deflection member extending perpendicularly between said top and bottom panels, said deflection member having, coextensive with its length, a mounting surface disposed against the back panel and two concave arcuate deflection surfaces converging from the back panel toward one another about a vertical plane of symmetry of said enclosure and intersecting to define a linear apex spaced from said loudspeaker and normal to the speaker axis;
and
(b) a pair of prismatic divider members extending perpendicularly between said top and bottom panels, each divider member being spaced from said deflection member and spaced from and disposed between said loudspeaker and a respective one of said passive radiators, whereby said backwardly traveling sound energy from said loudspeaker is initially channeled between said divider members to said convergent concave arcuate deflection surfaces of said elongated deflection member and divided thereby into said two substantially equal portions, whereafter each said portion is channeled between a respective one of said prismatic divider members and, successively, said back panel, a respective one of said minor side panels and a respective one of said major side panels.

5 more elements

Loudspeaker apparatus comprising:

(A) an enclosure having first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth vertical exterior walls;
(B) a loudspeaker mounted to face outwardly on said first vertical exterior wall for propagating sound energy directly out of the enclosure from the front of said loudspeaker;
(C) a first passive radiator mounted to face outwardly on said second vertical exterior wall;
and
(D) a second passive radiator mounted to face outwardly on said third vertical exterior wall;
(E) said second and third vertical exterior walls having corresponding first vertical side edges thereof joined respectively to opposed vertical side edges of said first vertical exterior wall and extending rearwardly therefrom in divergent angular relationship with one another;
(F) said second and third vertical exterior walls having corresponding second vertical side edges thereof joined respectively to corresponding first vertical side edges of said fourth and fifth vertical exterior walls;
(G) said fourth and fifth vertical exterior walls having corresponding second vertical side edges thereof joined respectively to opposed vertical side edges of said sixth vertical exterior wall and extending forwardly therefrom in divergent angular relationship with one another;
(H) the interior volume of said enclosure being provided with means for guiding backwardly traveling sound energy emanating from the back of said loudspeaker to said first and second passive radiators through a first compression zone in a transmission path portion common to both passive radiators and thence equally, via respective other transmission path portions, into a second compression zone occupied by said first passive radiator and a third compression zone occupied by said second passive radiator, so that each passive radiator will be modulated in its own volume by said backwardly traveling sound energy.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.